April 2024

 

Hello all, on behalf of the greenstaff, we wish all our Members, Directors and fellow staff a Happy Easter, and hope you enjoy whatever the Easter break means to you. 

With the Easter Cup on, there are a few us working this weekend both on course and in the club to ensure our members enjoy the 2 day Easter Cup weekend.  My thanks to those staff for giving up their time and making themselves available for the weekend duties. 

As anticipated the shorter turn around between green renovations and the Easter Cup meant we had to push the greens harder to have them in condition for this event. Whilst not 100% recovered from Renovations just 2 1/2 weeks ago, (nor did we expect them to be), I am very pleased with the greens response and have certainly recovered extremely well, allowing us to be back at a H.O.C of 3mm for the past week or so. The greens will continue to improve over the coming weeks filling in thin areas. 

Also during the renovation period, selected green surrounds were cored, seeded and sanded, they will continue to improve to provide for winter cover in high traffic areas. The majority of fairways were lightly verti cut, they have had wetting agents and fertiliser applied to assist in prepping the warm season turf for the winter period. 

Mullumbimby couch control is onging as time and weather conditions permit.

Back to the greens and after reviewing the recovery to date and taking into consideration a very condensed play schedule through April /May, we have decided that should a mini tine renovation be required it will take place after the Capel Cup towards the end of May prior to hopefully the bulk of the rain and of course Winter.  We may well not have to follow through with these works, we will asses the greens progress and update as required. 

I would like to alert members to a potential effect of our trial program for Couch encroachment mentioned last month, we will be using a relatively new product on selected green areas namely perimeters of the greens to selectively control couch grass. Areas sprayed may turn bleach white, including the bent grass 7 to 10 days after application. The effects on the Bent grass will be temporarily and will recover within a few weeks. Please see below picture of a sample effect from another golf course after a 2nd application was applied. 


We may not see results to this extent as we are applying to a different schedule, but the possibility remains and something you should be aware of, once again it is a temporary effect and will recover. 

As it is a trial the total area to be treated is limited to approx 500 square meters over different greens, no heavy infestation of couch areas will be targeted at this stage, some areas will only receive 1 application to be followed up in spring while others will be given 2 applications at slightly different intervals to determine the best method and turf impact specific to our conditions. Once we evaluate performance, effects and potential recovery time, if successful we will implement a larger program during spring and Autumn periods in future. 

 Till Next Time 

Happy Hooking !


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